Sea Vixen Escape Systems

The Dunker

Sea Vixen Cockpit Views.

Sea Vixen Ejection Systems

The visitor reading this site may wonder why there was so much loss of life among Sea Vixen Aircrew. The fact is, there were a great deal of lives saved.

The lives saved were thanks to Martin Baker Ejection seats. The ejection seat industry was evolving during the Sea Vixen era and was in the early stages of technology. While these large Sea Vixens of 18 tons were being operated from small 20,000 ton aircraft carriers designed for WW2 aircraft in dangerous circumstances, Martin Baker were doing ther utmost to save lives. Such was the concern for Royal Navy Aviators, they invented an Underwater escape system for accidents off the catapult launch. They company had an amazing speed of technology upgrade to their seats fitted in worldwide military aircraft. The sacrifices of their "Real Human Dummies" during the seat developement trials were truely heroic. Bernard "Benny" Lynch was the first live experimental ejectee on the 24th July 1946. He later withstood 16 more ejections and was awarded the British Empire medal.

The G forces limits of the human spine had to be tested to the limits. Early ejection seats were life savers, and ejectees often had spinal injuries. Later varients with rocket assist packs proved to a marshmallow ride and those who ejected in the morning would brush themselves down and fly again in the afternoon.

We will go into more detail here as ex RN Ordinance personnel contribute.